Comic-Con 2011: Meet the New 'Charlie's Angels' (Videos)

Minka Kelly, Annie Ilonzeh, Rachael Taylor and Ramon Rodriguez on how the original series -– and movies -– influenced their roles on the upcoming ABC drama.

Nathan Bell/ABC

New Charlie’s Angels stars Minka Kelly, Annie Ilonzeh and Rachael Taylor have, in some cases, done their homework when it comes to filling the high heels worn by their predecessors as the Miami-set reboot inches closer to its September premiere date.

For some new Angels, like Kelly (who plays Eve French), the original series – and movies – “all influenced me in different ways,” and she can’t pick just one of the many Angels, who have included Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith,Kate Jackson and Drew Barrymore, who have come before her.

For Kelly, who comes to the role after gigs on family dramas Friday Night Lights and Parenthood, the gig is very different.

“It’s exciting for me because I actually have a little tough girl inside of me, so I’d like to explore that and to do all these fun stunts and learn all these skills,” she tells The Hollywood Reporter. “It’s a really lucky thing for me to be in this position where I can learn how to scuba dive and English-style horseback ride and drift cars, it’s a dream job.”

For Ilonzeh, her influence is a slam dunk: “My character’s name is Kate Prince and I identify with Kate Jackson’s character a lot,” she told THR, noting that immersed herself in all things Angels after she landed the part. “I think we have a lot of similarities – that leadership, that mother-type role, that very instruction-oriented. Our characters are not linear but mine is more like Kate Jackson’s.”

New Park Avenue princess-turned jewel thief Taylor (who plays Abby Sampson), however, preferred to leave the past alone and hasn’t seen the original series.

“I’m aware that it’s a rather iconic umbrella to be a part of and I am respectful of it,” she told THR. “But I think it’s important to keep your eye on the times and do something fresh. The original series worked for that time period and the movies, which I thought were super caper driven and quite campy in a wonderful way, worked for that time.”

For new Bosley Ramon Rodriguez, his iconic role has been reimagined as a younger, sexier ringleader of the ass-kicking team.

“I get to do my version of it,” he tells THR, joking that he’s “Bosley 9.0.” “He’s a lot more active with the Angels – he’s kind of a fourth Angel – and he’s also the liaison still, so that’s kind of the same thing between Charlie and the Angels. He’s like a safe house; he’s got a lot of secrets from the Angels and on Charlie.”